That answer is going to vary so widely that the answer could be 100 to 60,000. Its going to depend on were you are located, how big you are, advertisement, how good you are, just a ton of different stuff. So basically you are not going to get an answer unless you can get more specific on your question. There are haunts that are free, haunts that charge $45 haunts that charge different fees for this section and more if you want to do more... Start with this. Were are you located, how much are you going to charge, what are your goals, what are you doing for advertisement, how big is your local population then maybe someone will be able to give you an idea?

Right, location is everything. And remember the first year isn't going to be great. Haunts, in my humble opinion seldom turn any profit the first year. There's a lot involved in starting a haunt, even as basic as what codes and registrations do you need to operate? Lots of things like that to look into and take into account. Things like sprinkler systems that might need installed or ADA compliance in an old building really can add up fast and might be mandatory in your haunt area.

This is a great forum to get started though. Lots of great ideas and people to help with the process. Good luck to you!

Wow 60,000!! that would be nice..im in Northeast Ohio, there are several other haunts in the area that do very well ( im assuming by the show) "Factory of Terror", "Haunted school house", " Haunted Hoochie" and alot more.. So im judging by all the haunts people in the area do like them. I figure if i could pull 10,000 people id be totally in the clear. Offer an indoor haunt, 5,000 square, 15 bucks a pop.. and yes this site is awesome thank you for everyones info

Haunt inc,
It sounds like you are getting into this for all the wrong reasons. 2K to 4K is what you will be looking at doing in year 2 or 3, Im pretty sure that 10,000 in your first five years in that market is going to be tough. First year I think you can market your butt off and get 1,500.
Do you have a passion for the industry? I highly recommend you work for a major haunt for a few years before you tackle your own. And starting this late in the game this year does not count- much of the hard work is already done for this season at most shows. This will be a huge undertaking- you either need to have it alter and become your life, or have enough money to invest so you dont care if it fails or not.
Can you churn out a cookie cutter haunted attraction, absolutely. But I dont recommend it. How many haunts have you attended? How many tradeshows have you attended? It sounds like you are winging it, if you have the capitol to do that great if not then do some home work.
Get Kelley Allen's books they will help at the stage you are at. I wish you the best of luck, but you are starting a hard journey and if you are on it for money, then there are easier ways.http://www.hauntbook.com/entrepreneur.html

I was happy with 600 last year,which was my first year puting on my own haunt. I didnt break even. I did however have a great time as did all my patrons. This year my crew and my customers cant wait till opening. To me thats what it is all about. Who knows this year i might have 1200.

Im obsessed with halloween, i worked for my first haunted house when i was 16. Started out double siding walls and worked my way up to house build and a chainsaw hillbilly character i called "earl".. I spent many seasons working this character at several different haunts. AS far as my passion goes its there. Im just trying to see some numbers for a business plan im writing up. maybe 10,000 is shooting alil high.

Another fabulous post from the U.S.Department of Wild Imaginings, now in spectaclar stereo, sponsored by the Adhesives and Sealants Council, suggesting ways to stick things together since the 1800s. Not fabulous in a gay way. Your results may vary. Illinois residents add 8% sales tax. These posts have been made by professional post makers, do not try this type of posting on your own without extensive training, lovely assistants and a trusty clown horn.

Everyone is giving you great advice here. If you think you are going to open your first year and make a butt load of money, hang it up. We are doing ok here in Kentucky, but still trying to sort out our measly budget and how far we can make it go in advertising, new props, etc.
You definitely want to go into this prepared, and starting here is a pretty good choice. You have haunters of all different calibers. But, by the same token, the vast majority of us also have different stories.
One thing I definitely agree with, is you should work in a professional haunt before tackling your own. I started in a small time haunt when I was 17. Worked my way up to management, managed for 4 years, and when I left, I am still proud to say that I came from that haunt, although, I do have my own haunted trail in the woods on 18 acres. Good luck on your endeavors, just don't jump in without as much knowledge as you can get!

Recently someone in Forbes magazine said that a business plan is like writing a book on playing guitar before you have ever played a guitar. That during the process so many things will have to be specialized to your market, your customers, your style that what ends up working is totally different than what you would have written at first. Any lender knows that. Any investor knows that and has already figured out how much all the tweeks are going to cost in time or money.

Just this season I have reviewed 3 deals where I could get involved and how different each event is and the expectations for return on investments and how far I would have to travel are so completely different that it is just plain 3 different situations. How people think is tweeked by whether they are broke and sitting on mammas couch, newly independent or get millions from the japanese or have actually done what could only be imagined 15 years ago in just a couple years.

Despite what CNN says there are segments of the ecomomy that have not totally tanked. Those people think differently than the ones that have been displaced at any time in their lives. They can be matched up but, you have to dig much deeper and let conversations go for months to figure out what everyones real goals are and how long they intend to go about doing what they are doing. Then the reality is no one really knows what they will have to do to make ends meet or what part of their list of material things and life goals they are going to have to give up are. Exchanging for what is something greater and all focused energy on one thing.

You never know what will happen until it happens.

Another fabulous post from the U.S.Department of Wild Imaginings, now in spectaclar stereo, sponsored by the Adhesives and Sealants Council, suggesting ways to stick things together since the 1800s. Not fabulous in a gay way. Your results may vary. Illinois residents add 8% sales tax. These posts have been made by professional post makers, do not try this type of posting on your own without extensive training, lovely assistants and a trusty clown horn.